Encoder member reader

ABSTRACT

A device for reading an encoded card is disclosed which includes a chamber for receiving a card encoded by a predetermined pattern of holes, a radiant energy source including a plurality of light source elements, and a radiant energy detector including a plurality of light-sensitive elements, both of which are synchronously moved by screws across opposite sides of the card to effect scanning and produce signals responsive to the particular code and provide information corresponding to the code. The screws are driven by motor-driven gears, and the direction of rotation is reversed by an axially movable rod with a cam surface that positively operates a motor reversing switch.

United States Patent inventor Calvin L. Chumley Glendale, Mo. Appl. No.884,266 Filed Dec. 11, 1969 Patented Nov. 23, 1971 Assignee EmersonElectric Co.

St. Louis, Mo.

ENCODER MEMBER READER 8 Claims, 10 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 235/6l.1lE, 178/17 D, 250/219 DC Int. Cl .L C061; 7/00 v FieldofSearch 235/61.i 15, 61.1 1; 340/149; 178/17; 250/219 ID, 219 l, 219 DCReferences Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,059,847 10/1962 l-iilly e r235/61.]1

3,109,089 10/1963 Reynolds et al. 235/61. 1 1 3,414,670 12/l968 Place178/17 3,476,876 11/1969 Myrick 178/]? Primary Examiner-Thomas A.Robinson Attorneys-Stanley N. Garber and William R. OMeara acrossopposite sides of the card to effect scanning and iproduce signalsresponsive to the particular code and provide information correspondingto the code. The screws are driven by motor-driven gears, and thedirection of rotation is reversed by an axially movable rod with a camsurface that positively operates a motor reversing switch.

I I 6 0 O 5? a oilllllllllllllllllIlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll o ,a/ Q

PATENTEDNUV 23 l97l SHEET 2 [IF 4 PATENTEUuuv 23 Ian SHEET 3 OF 4 FIG. 8

FIG.4

FIG. 7

FIG.9

V0 LTAGE C S SUPPLY I FIG. 1O

; CONTROL CIRCUIT REv. SWITCH MOTOR I FOR LIGHT souRCE VOLTAGE r l mSOURCE DETECTOR 92 SIGNAL UTILIZATION DEVICE ENCODER MEMBER READERBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION plicated drive meansfor accurately movingthe encoded member were required. In some cases, one side of an encodedmember was flooded with light from a light source and a light detectorwas used to produce signals corresponding to the indicia on the card. Insome such cases, there was the possibility that extraneous light fromthe light source would sporadically reach the detector and provide anerroneous signal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the presentinvention to provide an improved encoded member reader whichsubstantially overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages.

Another object is to provide an encoded member reader having a scanningmechanism which is accurate in operation and simple in construction.

Another object is to provide an encoded member reader having improveddrive means for scanning a stationary member to be read.

Still another object is to provide a scanning mechanism whichsubstantially obviateserroneous output signals without complicatedenclosure means.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent fromthe following description and accompanying'drawings.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an encodedmember reader is provided which includes a radiant energy source,detector means responsive to the radiant energy of the source, and meansfor moving the source and the detector concertedly across opposite sidesof an encoded member to be read. I

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.'1 is an elevational view of anencoded member reader in accordance with the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a top view ofthe reader ofFIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a right end view of the reader ofFIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a right side view of the reader as viewed in FIG. 3,

FIG. 6 is an enlarged top view of the radiant energy source of FIG. 1,

FIG. 7 is an enlarged top view of the detector shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 4, but with parts brokenand with the holddown. wheel shown rotated,

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of the electrical control for the holddownmechanism of the reader of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of the electrical control for the readingmechanism of the reader of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings,and more particularly to FIGS. 1-5, an encoded member reader 10 is shownincluding a housing or frame 12 having a pair of opposed housingportions or sides 11 and 13 connected together and to a pair of opposedend supports or plates 14 and 15 by a plurality of screws 16. As seen inFIGS. 2 and 5, a support or brace 9 is connected between plates 14 andlS. The sides 11 and 13 provide chambers or slots 17 and 17' adapted toreceive a pair of encoded members or cards 18 and 18 (FIG.- I.) such ascredit cards, identification cards, or the like. The reader 10 includesa pair of like card holddown mechanisms, indicated generally at 19 and19', and an indicia reading or code detection mechanism, indicatedgenerally at 20.

The holddown mechanism 19 includes a pair of axially spaced wheelmembers or rollers 22 and 23 mounted on a shaft 24 which is supportedfor rotation in bearing support members 26 and 27 that are shownintegral with housing side 11. The rollers 22 and 23 each include a hub28 secured to shaft 24' by fastening means shown as setscrews 30 in FIG.1; only hub 28 of roller 23 is shown in the drawings (FIGS. 3, 4 and 8).The shaft 24 is driven by a solenoid 33 through a link 35. The solenoid33 is connected to a mounting plate 31 that,

in turn, is connected between end supports 14 and 15 by screws 34. Thelink 35 is pivotally connected at one end to a solenoid armature 39 andat the other end to a collar 40 that is fixedly connected to the shaft24 such as by a set screw or the like to thereby effect concertedrotation of collar 40 and shaft 24. A solenoid bias spring 41 biases therollers 22 and 23 through the link35 to the open" position, i.e., aposition in which an encoded card 18 can be freely inserted past therollers 22 and 23. Each of the rollers 22 and 23 includes a resilientperipheral member or tire 45 formed, for example, of a suitable rubber,such as of the neoprene or buna N-type, and which may have, for example,a durometer reading of 50. Each tire 'has a chordal surface or flatportion, such as indicated in FIGS. 4 and 8 at 46, which permitscomplete insertion of a card-18 when the flat surface 46 is parallel tohousing sides 11 and 13 and internal walls thereof, and the plane ofcard 18. When the solenoid 33 is energized after a card 18 is disposedin the slot 17, the arcuate portion of the tires 45 engages and urgesthe card downwardly against a bottom wall 50 (FIG. 1) of the housingside 13, which wall forms the bottom of the slot 17.

The holddown mechanism 19 is shown for illustration as beingidentical'to the above-described mechanism 19 in construction andoperation, except that it cooperates with the encoded card 18, andcorresponding parts are identified by like numerals but with prime marksassociated therewith. In view of this, the description of the parts ofonly the holddown mechanism 19 is deemed necessary.

The holddown mechanism 19 is actuated by a switch 5 I mounted to thehousingl2 adjacent to the wall 50, such as by means of SCI'CWS.'AS seenin FIG. 1, switch 51 is shown as a push button switch having anactuating button 52 which is engaged bythe bottom edge of card 18 wheninserted into slot 17. Similarly, a switch 51 having an actuating button52 adapted to be engaged by a card 18' is connected to operate holddownmechanism 19. FIG. 9 shows a circuitdi'agram, for purpose ofillustration, in which a voltage supply source 53 is connected toenergize the solenoids 33and 33' upon the closing of switches 51 and 51are closed.

As seen in'FIG. 4, housing side 13 is provided with an opening whichreceives a spring 54 that is engaged and compressed by the card 18 whenthe card is'inserted into slot 17 and when the holddown mechanism 19 isoperated. Spring 54 urges the card upwardlywhen the holddown mechanismis deenergized to release the card and permit easy manual retractionthereof. A spring 54' for card 18' is shown in phantom in FIG. I.Housing side l3also includes opposed parallel integral end flanges 13and 13".

The reading mechanism 20 is adapted to "read or convert the code on bothof the cards 18 and 18' into electrical signals, such as digital signalswhich contain information corresponding to the indicia on the cards.Each of the cards 18 and 18' will be assumed to have a code or indiciaconsisting of a predetermined pattern of marks'or holes h (FIG. 1). Suchholes or indicia may be thin areas or other areas which readily transmitthe radiant energy of source 55, at least more readily than other areasof the card. The cards 18 and 18 may be a suitable plartic material,such as a plurality of plastic layers with the indicia such as holes inone or all layers of the card.

Mechanism 20 is shown including a source 55 of radiant energy and adetector or sensor 56 responsive to the radiant energy of source55,'mounted for movement on opposite sides of the housing 12. Whilevarious types of radiant energy sources can be used, the source 55, alsoseen in FIG. 6, is

when manual switches 53a and 53b shown for illustration as including adiode light source member 57 secured in a slot of a support member 59and having four spaced individual sources 58. Diode light sourceelements 58 are well known and commercially available. For example, onetype is a gallium arsenide diode producing a noncoherent light in theinfrared or near infrared portion of the light spectrum. The support 59may be made of any suitable material, for example, of a suitable plasticmaterial. Support 59 is provided with a threaded hole 60 which receivesa rotatable screw 61 (FIG. 1). The detector or sensor 56, as seen inFIG. 7, is shown including a light responsive member 62 having foursensors or photodiodes for example, silicon photocells 63 responsive tothe light from light sources 58. The member 62 is secured in a support64 made, for example, of plastic and provided with a threaded hole 65which receives a rotatable screw 66 (FIG. 2). The support 59 of thesource 55 and the support 64 of the detector 56 are guided forreciprocating movement by the walls of openings or slots 67 (FIG. I) and68 (FIG. provided in the housing sides 11 and 13, respectively. Theslots 67 and 68 prevent rotation of the source 55 and detector 56 sothat they move linearly along the slots in response to rotation of thescrews.

The diode light source 55 is adapted to be energized by a suitablecontrol circuit 87, as seen in FIG. 10, which may include, for example,a source of direct current for energizing each of the light sources 58.The photocells 63 of detector 55 are connected in a circuit such as asignal utilization circuit 92 which may include a circuit for producingsignals, for example, signals responsive to changes in the resistance ofthe photodiodes 63 due to the light from sources 58 intermittentlyreaching the photodiodes during scanning of the encoded cards 18 and 18.

When the cards 18 and 18' are locked in position by the holddownmechanisms 19 and 19', the patterns of encoded holes are accuratelypositioned relative to the source 55 and detector 56 within the openings67 and 68. The source 55 and detector 56 are, of course, aligned withrespect to each other such that as they move past an encoded card, lightfrom a light source element 58, as the source passes a hole in the card,strikes the photodiode 63 opposite that source element, and a pulse isproduced in the utilization circuit 92. The indicia shown forillustration in FIG. 1 includes holes at four different vertical levelsspaced apart the same distance as the light sources 58 and thephotodiodes 63 so that there is a source and diode for each level.

An electric motor 69 secured to end plate by screws 70 effects rotationof screws 61 and 66 through a gear mechanism 71. Motor 69 has a shaft72, as seen in FIG. 3, to which is connected a drive gear 73 coupled todrive a relatively large gear 74 that is connected for rotation in abearing 75 in an end portion of housing side 13 (FIG. 5). Gear 74 isengaged with a gear 76 fixed to the right end of screw 66, as viewed inFIG. 1. The gear 76 is engaged with a gear 77 fixed to screw 61. Theleft ends of screws 61 and 66, as viewed in FIG. 2, are provided withbearing 78 and 79 in the left end flange 13'. The right ends of thescrews are provided with bearings 80 and 81 in the right flange 13''. Inthis way, the motor 69 rotates the screws 61 and 66 in synchronism.

Referring again to FIG. 2, a rod 83 extends parallel to the screws 61and 66 and is mounted for limited lateral or axial movement in a pair ofopenings 82 and 84 in the ends of the housing flanges l3 and 13". A pairof abutments 85 and 86 are fixed to rod 83 adjacent the opposite endsthereof and in the path of movement of the light detector 56. Alsoconnected to rod 83 is a switch operating member 88 having an inclinedsurface at 89, as seen in FIG. 5, which is engaged by a resilientlyurged switch actuating arm 90 of a motor winding reversing, push buttonswitch 91. Whenever the detector 56 engages and moves one of theabutments 85 or 86 a predetermined distance, the rod 83 and member 88also move to close or open switch 91 and effect a reversal of thedirection of rotation of the motor 69. The motor 69, as seen in FIG. 10.is connected to reversing switch 91 and a voltage source 93 through aswitch 94 shown for purpose of illustration as a manual switch.

In operation, when an encoded card 18 is manually inserted into chamber17, it readily passes the flat surface 46 of the holddown rollers 22 and23 and actuates switch 51 to effect energization of solenoid 33 toactuate holddown mechanism 19. Rollers 22 and 23 of mechanism 19 arerotated in a direction to engage and urge the card 18 downwardly, theround portion of the tires 45 resiliently urging the card against thesurface 50 to thereby firmly hold or lock the card in place. FIG. 4illustrates the card 18 inserted into slot 17 just before actuation ofthe solenoid 33. FIG. 8 illustrates the card 18 in its locked positionafter energization of solenoid 33. When a second card 18' is insertedinto chamber 17' the holddown mechanism 19' operates in similar mannerto lock card 18' in its predetermined location.

With the encoded cards 18 and 18 accurately located in the chambers 17and 17, the switch 94 (FIG. 10) is operated to start the motor 69 sothat the rotor rotates in one direction to rotate screws 61 and 66through gear mechanism 71. The screws 61 and 66 are suitably threaded tomove the light source 55 and detector 56 along the slots 67 and 68 in adirection which is dependent upon the direction of motor rotation, asdetermined by the condition or position of the motor reversing switch91. As the light source 55 and detector 56 move past the cards, pulsesare produced in circuit 92 (FIG. 10) for example, each time the lightfrom a source 58 strikes a photocell 63 a pulse may be produced incircuit 92. A series of signals corresponding to the particular code onencoded cards 18 and 18' may be transmitted to a suitable signalutilization device for storage, decoding, printing or the like, asdesired.

After the source 55 and detector 56 pass by both cards 18 and 18', oneof the abutments or 86 (FIG. 2) is engaged and moved by detector 56 toactuate the reversing switch 91 and thereby return the light source 55and detector 56 to the starting end of the reader 10. The holddownmechanism 19 and 19 may then be deenergized by switches 53a and 53b andthe motor 69 deenergized such as by switch 94. The springs 54 and 54'(FIG. 1) then move the cards upwardly to facilitate removal thereof fromthe reader 10 by the operator.

Because the diode light sources 58 provide a narrow beam of lightgenerally about the size of the code holes h, erroneous signals, due toany extraneous light, is substantially obviated and without complicatedand expensive enclosures.

In view of the above, it is seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results obtained.

As various changes could be made in the above-described constructionswithout departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended thatall matter contained in the above description or shown in theaccompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

Iclaim:

1. An encoded member reader comprising housing means including a pair ofspaced sidewalls and adapted to receive between said walls at least oneencoded member having a preselected pattern of areas providing indiciawhich transmit light energy to a greater extent than other areas of theencoded member, said walls having openings with at least portionsthereof aligned with each other and with the indicia of an encodedmember when disposed between said walls to be read, a pair of screwmembers mounted to said housing means on opposed sides of said walls forrotation and extending parallel to each other and to said walls, asource of radiant energy including first support means, and radiantenergy emitting means connected to said first support means, said firstsupport means being threadedly coupled to one of said screw membersadjacent one of said wall openings for linear movement lengthwise ofsaid one screw member in response to rotation of said one screw member,light responsive detector means including second support means, andradiant energy responsive means connected to said second support means,

said second support means being threadedly coupled to the other of saidscrew members adjacent the other of said wall openings for linearmovement lengthwise of said other screw member in response to rotationof said other screw member, drive means for rotating said screw membersfor simultaneously linearly moving said source of radiant energy andsaid detector means along said wall openings, said detector meansreceiving light energy passing through said indicia from said source,and means for producing signals responsive to the light energy receivedby said detector means.

2. The encoded member reader according to claim 1 wherein said drivemeans includes gear means, and motor means for driving said gear means.

3. The encoded member reader according to claim 2 further includingmeans including reversing switch means coupled to said motor means andresponsive to a predetennined amount of movement of said source anddetector means in one direction to effect rotation of said motor meansto effect movement of said source and detector means in the oppositedirection, said switch means including an axially movable rod extendingparallel to said screw members, a switch actuating member on said rod,and means engageable with one of said support means for moving said rodto operate said switch actuating member.

4. An encoded member reader for producing signals corresponding toindicia on an encoded member comprising housing means including encodedmember holding means for receiving said encoded member, and a readingmechanism, said reading mechanism comprising detector means forconverting the code on said encoded member into electrical signals whensaid detector means is moved across a side of said encoded member,support means for supporting said detector means in a position adjacentsaid encoded member, screw means including an elongate screw memberextending parallel to said side of said encoded member for moving saiddetector means across said encoded member, said support means beingthreadedly coupled to said screw member for linear movement lengthwiseof said screw member in response to rotation of said screw member,driver means for rotating said screw member for linearly moving saidsupport means, hence said detector, across said side of said encodedmember, and elongate guide means carried by said housing parallel tosaid screw member for slidably engaging said support means and guidingsaid linear movement of said support means.

5. The encoded member reader according to claim 4 wherein said drivemeans includes gear means coupled to said screw means and reversiblemotor means for driving said gear means.

6. The encoded member reader according to claim 5 further including anaxially movable rod extending parallel to said screw member, a reversingswitch coupled to said motor means for reversing the direction ofrotation of said motor means thereby effecting movement of said supportmeans in an opposite direction, a reversing switch actuating member onsaid rod, and means engageable with said support means for moving saidrod to operate said switch in response to a predetermined amount ofmovement of said support means in one direction.

7. The encoded member reader according to, claim 4 wherein said detectormeans comprises a plurality of radiant energy responsive elementsarranged to detect variations in radiant energy from said encoded memberwhen said support member moves said detector means across said face ofsaid encoded member.

8. The encoded member reader according to claim 7 including a radiantenergy source concertedly movable with said detector means.

1. An encoded member reader comprising housing means including a pair ofspaced sidewalls and adapted to receive between said walls at least oneencoded member having a preselected pattern of areas providing indiciawhich transmit light energy to a greater extent than other areas of theencoded member, said walls having openings with at least portionsthereof aligned with each other and with the indicia of an encodedmember when disposed between said walls to be read, a pair of screwmembers mounted to said housing means on opposed sides of said walls forrotation and extending parallel to each other and to said walls, asource of radiant energy including first support means, and radiantenergy emitting means connected to said first support means, said firstsupport means being threadedly coupled to one of said screw membersadjacent one of said wall openings for linear movement lengthwise ofsaid one screw member in response to rotation of said one screw member,light responsive detector means including second support means, andradiant energy responsive means connected to said second support means,said second support means being threadedly coupled to the other of saidscrew members adjacent the other of said wall openings for linearmovement lengthwise of said other screw member in response to rotationof said other screw member, drive means for rotating said screw membersfor simultaneously linearly moving said source of radiant energy andsaid detector means along said wall openings, said detector meansreceiving light energy passing through said indicia from said source,and means for producing signals responsive to the light energy receivedby said detector means.
 2. The encoded member reader according to claim1 wherein said drive means includes gear means, and motor means fordriving said gear means.
 3. The encoded member reader according to claim2 further including means including reversing switch means coupled tosaid motor means and responsive to a predetermined amount of movement ofsaid source and detector means in one direction to effect rotation ofsaid motor means to effect movement of said source and detector means inthe opposite direction, said switch means including an axially movablerod extending parallel to said screw members, a switch actuating memberon said rod, and means engageable with one of said support means formoving said rod to operate said switch actuating member.
 4. An encodedmember reader for producing signals corresponding to indicia on anencoded member comprising housing means including encoded member holdingmeans for receiving said encoded member, and a reading mechanism, saidreading mechanism comprising detector means for converting the code onsaid encoded member into electrical signals when said detector means ismoved across a side of said encoded member, support means for supportingsaid detector means in a position adjacent said encoded member, screwmeans including an elongate screw member extending parallel to said sideof said encoded member for moving said detector means across saidencoded member, said support means being threadedly coupled to saidscrew member for linear movement lengthwise of said screw member inresponse to rotation of said screw mEmber, drive means for rotating saidscrew member for linearly moving said support means, hence saiddetector, across said side of said encoded member, and elongate guidemeans carried by said housing parallel to said screw member for slidablyengaging said support means and guiding said linear movement of saidsupport means.
 5. The encoded member reader according to claim 4 whereinsaid drive means includes gear means coupled to said screw means andreversible motor means for driving said gear means.
 6. The encodedmember reader according to claim 5 further including an axially movablerod extending parallel to said screw member, a reversing switch coupledto said motor means for reversing the direction of rotation of saidmotor means thereby effecting movement of said support means in anopposite direction, a reversing switch actuating member on said rod, andmeans engageable with said support means for moving said rod to operatesaid switch in response to a predetermined amount of movement of saidsupport means in one direction.
 7. The encoded member reader accordingto claim 4 wherein said detector means comprises a plurality of radiantenergy responsive elements arranged to detect variations in radiantenergy from said encoded member when said support member moves saiddetector means across said face of said encoded member.
 8. The encodedmember reader according to claim 7 including a radiant energy sourceconcertedly movable with said detector means.